There are 16 lessons in Vault University’s Publishing curriculum. We’ll open for enrollment soon, but in the meantime, you can read through this curriculum description to learn more about what we have in store.

Authors who have paid Vault listings will be granted free enrollment in the curriculum of their choice in Vault U. Vault authors will be enrolled in the Author Platform/Book Promotion curriculum by default, but can request a switch to the Publishing curriculum by sending an email request to vault@publetariat.com and including their username.

For all others, enrollment will cost just $5 per month. Each lesson more than pays for itself by giving you the critical time- and money-saving steps to take in self-publishing, as well as by informing you of the costly mistakes to which many self-publishers fall victim—so you can avoid them. Think about it: would you rather spend your next $5 on a large latte, a fast-food value meal, or on a step-by-step, plain English lesson in self-publishing you can immediately put to use to make your self-publishing project the best it can be? Take a look at this sample lesson to get a better idea of the quality and depth of information you can expect to get from Vault U.

Once enrolled, so long as you remain a subscriber (or Vault-listed author) in good standing, you will be granted access to the next lesson in the series every 30 days and you will continue to have access to any lessons you’ve previously viewed. The Publishing curriculum consists of the following lessons:

1) Setting Goals & Working to a Plan - Helping you decide what your goals are so you can better attain those goals. Do you want to hobby publish, don’t intend to make any money from it or build a larger career from it, just want to do it for passion? Do you want to be an indie author, publishing your work to offer for retail sale to generate a side income? Do you want to gain a larger publisher down the road and are hoping to build a fan base, are you intending to use self-publishing as a stepping stone? Do you want to start your own small press imprint to publish your own work, and maybe that of other authors down the road? An overview of each option, to help you decide which path is best for you and work smart toward your chosen goal right from the start. Considerations to keep in mind in order to stay on track toward your goal throughout the rest of your self-publishing  journey. 

2) Software & Tools For Self-Publishers - A survey of the minimum software and tools any self-publisher will need to create a quality book, work an effective author platform and do a good job of book promotion. Specific suggestions for, and links to, free (legal) software and tool options wherever possible, as well as information on premium (more costly) options to consider. 

3) Writing Your Book – Tips and tricks for creating a top-notch manuscript. Organizing your ideas, time management, outlining vs. “pantsing” (flying by the seat of your pants), working toward a deadline, how to get un-stuck, coping with writer’s block. 

 4) Editing – The Do-It-Yourself editing tips and tricks that will take you from rough to final draft. Types of editing. Checklists and gotchas. When, and how, to work with a professional editor. How to find and select a professional editor. 

5) Setting Up Shop & Print Decisions – Getting started with record keeping, expense tracking and operating as a proper business. Trademark, copyright, ISBN and EAN considerations. Choosing between working with an author services provider (such as Creatspace, Lulu, Wordclay, etc.) or a print services provider (such as Lightningsource), what to expect from each. The difference between a subsidy publisher and an author services provider, and why it rarely makes sense to pay for a complete publishing package or go through a subsidy publisher.

5a) Crunching the Numbers – Comparison-shopping among author and print service providers. Determining a retail sales price that maximizes profit while still maintaining an attractive price point. Calculating the break-even point for your book. (Note that this lesson is provided as a free sample on the site).

6)   Web Forms, File Formats & File Uploads – How to use web forms, the most commonly-used file formats for self-publishers (and comparisons among them), how to upload files to a web server. 

7) Interior Layout For Print Publication – How to properly format your entire manuscript for print publication using a consumer-level word processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word). 

8) Interior Layout For Ebook Publication – How to properly format your entire manuscript for ebook publication using a consumer-level word processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word). 

9) Writing A Description And Author Bio - How to write a compelling, concise book description for use on your book cover, in online store listings, on your author website and in promotional materials. Keeping it brief while still including the most crucial information. How to write an effective, professional author biography for your book cover, author website and promotional materials. 

10) Choosing & Using A Graphics Editor Program – How to select a graphics editor program, and how to use the graphics editor features most frequently needed for self-publishing, author platform and book promotion. Free versus paid programs, comparison of the most popular programs. 

11) Soliciting Cover Blurbs - Whom to approach for cover blurbs that will be the best fit for your book. How to approach prospective reader/reviewers. Amazon Top Reviewers – who they are, how to contact them, and how to ask them to blurb your book. When and how to approach book bloggers. Paid review options (e.g., Kirkus reviews).

 12) Professional Cover Design – How to locate and work with a professional cover design artist without spending a fortune. The pros and cons of working with a professional artist or photographer. Budgetary considerations. 

13) DIY Cover Design – How to design your own book cover using a graphics editor, stock photos and stock artwork to get a quality result. Working with artists and photographers on a barter basis.

14) Publishing in Print Formats - The process of working with an author services or print services provider to publish your book in print formats. What to expect, and pitfalls to avoid, along the way.

15) Publishing in Ebook Formats - Pushbutton ebook publishing with Smashwords and Scribd. Publishing for the Kindle using Amazon’s free Digital Text Platform service. What to expect, and pitfalls to avoid, along the way.

16) Podcasting - Types of books best suited for audio release.  Tools needed to create podcast/audiobook versions of your work. Basic steps involved in creating a podcast and releasing it on your website or uploading to the iTunes store.

REMEMBER – If you already have a paid listing in the Publetariat Vault, you’re entitled to free enrollment in the Vault U. curriculum of your choice. By default, all authors with Vault listings are enrolled in the Platform/Promo curriculum, though they can ask to be switched to the Publishing curriculum if they wish (contact us at vault@publetariat.com and include your username to make this request).

The Subscribe button below is for authors who do not have Vault listings, or for authors who have Vault listings and are already enrolled in the Author Platform/Book Promotion Vault U. curriculum, but would also like to enroll in the Publishing curriculum.